Alberta · Grade 1
Grade 1 Social Studies
Alberta’s Grade 1 social studies course, from Time and Place to Citizenship.
- Units
- 3
- Lessons
- 5
- Skills
- 9
- Provincial exam
- None
- Official curriculum
- curriculum.learnalberta.ca
Unit by unit
Every skill in the course, numbered by unit.
Unit 1 · 4 skills
Time and Place
Natural Features & Landmarks
Natural features and constructed landmarks
I can tell the difference between natural features and constructed landmarks.
Skill 1.1
Landmark names and why places matter
I can share why a landmark is special and know that some landmark names come from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit languages.
Skill 1.2
Cultures of Our Communities
Expressions of culture in communities
I can describe ways people express culture, including in my own community.
Skill 1.3
First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Francophone cultures
I can tell that First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities have many diverse cultures and share a connection to the land.
Skill 1.4
The official wording · 4 outcomes
- 1.1
- Communities can have natural features, including mountains forests prairies rivers lakes
- 1.2
- The names of some natural landmarks are passed on through First Nations, Métis, and Inuit languages and oral traditions, for example, Okotoks Big Rock or Okatok in Blackfoot.
- 1.3
- Culture can be expressed by an individual or a community as cultural celebrations and traditions.
- 1.4
- First Nations communities, Métis communities, and Inuit communities in Canada have diverse cultures. Connection to the land is shared across diverse cultures in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.
Key ideas
Natural features grew without people: mountains, forests, prairies, rivers, and lakes.
Culture shows in celebrations, traditions, foods, music, clothing, and stories — from one person or a whole community.
Constructed landmarks were built by people: buildings, parks, roads, pathways, and bridges.
People learn about one another by sharing their cultures, traditions, and histories.
Landmarks can be special to people — a place where families gather, or a place with a long story.
Watch out for
- Thinking a park is natural because it has trees — parks are planned and built by people.
- Thinking only some people 'have culture' — every family and community expresses culture in its own ways.
- Thinking a river doesn't count as a feature because you can't touch all of it — big natural things are features too.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 2 · 3 skills
Systems
Goods, Services & Trading
Goods and services
I can tell goods from services.
Skill 2.1
Sharing, bartering, buying, and selling
I can compare sharing, bartering, buying, and selling.
Skill 2.2
Roles in Community Groups
Leaders, helpers, and responsibilities
I can tell what leaders and helpers do and how their responsibilities help a group reach its goals.
Skill 2.3
The official wording · 3 outcomes
- 2.1
- Goods such as food, clothing, and furniture are items that meet needs and wants.
- 2.2
- Trade, including bartering, buying, and selling, is the exchange of goods or services between people and communities.
- 2.3
- People can help community groups and organizations work toward common goals by taking on leader and helper roles.
Key ideas
Goods are items you can touch — food, clothing, furniture.
Groups reach goals when people take roles: leaders guide, helpers contribute — both matter.
Services are actions that help people — repairing clothes, collecting recycling, providing health care.
Responsibilities are the actions of a role: contributing ideas, listening, following rules, being fair, cooperating.
Sharing is giving without expecting something back.
Watch out for
- Thinking a service isn't real because you can't hold it — the HELP is the thing you're getting.
- Thinking only the leader matters — a goal fails without helpers doing their parts.
- Thinking everything at a store is a good — stores sell services too, like repairs.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 3 · 2 skills
Citizenship
Belonging in Groups & in Canada
Building belonging in groups and communities
I can describe ways people build belonging in groups and communities.
Skill 3.1
Canada's official symbols
I can name Canada's official symbols and ways people show belonging to Canada.
Skill 3.2
The official wording · 2 outcomes
- 3.1
- Relationships and shared experiences within groups and communities can help members develop a sense of belonging.
- 3.2
- Canada has official symbols that can contribute to a sense of belonging, including the Canadian flag Canada’s national colours, red and white the Canadian coat of arms the maple leaf the maple tree Canada’s national sports, lacrosse and ice hockey
Key ideas
Belonging grows from positive relationships: showing respect, being curious, learning about others, collaborating.
Shared experiences — celebrating together, building connections across cultures — make members feel part of the group.
Canada's official symbols include the flag, the colours red and white, the coat of arms, the maple leaf and maple tree, and two national sports: lacrosse and ice hockey.
People show belonging through traditions like singing O Canada and displaying the flag.
Watch out for
- Thinking belonging just happens — it's built by actions people choose.
- Thinking you can only belong to one group — people belong to many at once.
- Thinking hockey is the only national sport — lacrosse is a national sport too.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Plan the term
Pick your term and the days you study. Each unit gets its share of the weeks and comes back a week later for a review. The last two weeks go over the whole course.
The official curriculum
This page follows Alberta’s own curriculum for Grade 1 Social Studies.
Study it in MapleMind
MapleMind teaches Grade 1 Social Studies one skill at a time. Each skill gets a short lesson, practice as you go and a check worth up to three stars. It remembers where you stopped.
Course Companion
Your year in one workbook
A fun way to keep Grade 1 Social Studies organized, get to know your child better and see early when they need a hand. Fill it in on a screen, or print it.
- Pages
- 23
- Fillable fields
- 1,041
- Price
- $4.99
Questions about Grade 1 Social Studies
What is Grade 1 Social Studies?
Alberta’s Grade 1 social studies course: 3 units and 9 skills, from Time and Place to Citizenship.
What units are in Grade 1 Social Studies?
1. Time and Place, 2. Systems and 3. Citizenship.
Is there a provincial exam for Grade 1 Social Studies?
No. Alberta gives no provincial exam for Grade 1 Social Studies.
What comes after Grade 1 Social Studies?
Grade 2 Social Studies.
Can MapleMind help with Grade 1 Social Studies?
Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Grade 1 Social Studies, step by step, with practice and checks, and its tutor answers questions about any of them. It’s free with daily limits, on iPhone, Android and the web.
Get ready for Grade 1 Social Studies
Practise every skill of Grade 1 Social Studies in MapleMind, free with daily limits.
